


Just Another Teenage Fairytale

by JoAsakura



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-07-02
Updated: 2012-07-13
Packaged: 2017-11-09 01:00:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/449507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JoAsakura/pseuds/JoAsakura
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kaidan Alenko's new friend Shepard is more "undernourished honey badger of vengeance" than "knight in shining armour" - but it might just be the start of something beautiful.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Process

**Author's Note:**

> So, stonelions on tumblr has done some super-adorable AU teen!shepard and kaidan pics. Spicyshimmy has done some wonderful (probably better than mine) fics based on them as well, but considering my accidental delete on tumblr of some stuff this morning, I thought I should back them up, yeah?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> art here: http://joasakura.tumblr.com/post/25429868262/it-had-been-an-quite-a-process-not-unlike-all

It had been an quite a process, not unlike all those nature shows where people gained the trust of some majestic wild animal in some far away location like the jungle or the savannah in order to study their majestic wild animal behaviour.

Except Kaidan Alenko (Age:16. Occupation: Nerd.) was not in a far away location. He was in his parent’s semi-finished basement in Vancouver. And sitting beside him wasn’t exactly a lion or a tiger, but the perpetually angry new kid. (Who, if Kaidan were being completely honest, was pretty damn majestic despite his surly slouch and nervously fidgeting fingers.)

Despite having classes together, they’d only really met by accident. Well, a series of “accidents” that had started with Kaidan getting shoved around (again) by the same jerks who’d tormented him since the sixth grade and ended with John Shepard (Age: 15, Occupation: Thug) coming out of nowhere and “accidentally” breaking Kai Leng’s nose.

(Of course, Mr. Vyrnnus had to come down the hall the moment Kaidan, emboldened by the rescue and subsequent bloodshed, had landed a retaliatory punch of his own and had “accidentally” given them detention.)

And now, they sat on Kaidan’s grandmother’s couch in his parents’ basement watching television while his mother made them snacks and wondered if she should lock up the silverware.

~~

“So. I.. thanks. Y’know?” Kaidan leaned forward to try to look him in the eye. Despite his reputation (thug, punk, bad kid from a foster home), Shepard seemed more nervous than anything. He had pretty hands, Kaidan noticed. Slender, nervous fingers and white scars across his knuckles. He had a pretty face, too, despite the perpetual scowl.

Kaidan had to admit to himself, he might have something of a crush on John Shepard, tough kid.

(He’d spent the entirety of detention passing notes to Shepard, coaxing him to come back to his house. He could come for dinner. They could play video games. Something. ANYTHING. And around note number 15, Shepard had glanced over with those bright eyes rolling. “Fine.” He whispered. “Just stop with th’notes, already.” Kaidan had grinned back and it was entirely possible Shepard might have turned red for a moment.)

Shepard was scowling at whatever show Kaidan had put on - some cartoon - but he didn’t seem to be watching it, not really. ” s’nothin.” He said after a few minutes. “s’not right. Dude was way bigger than you.” He added in a hasty mumble.

(And you’re way smaller.) Kaidan thought, watching the muscles in Shepard’s stiffly-held arms shift as his hands fidgeted. Shepard was a good four inches shorter than Kaidan, but he kept that to himself as well.

“I’m kinda used to it.” Kaidan watched the line of Shepard’s jaw twitch. “You must’ve noticed, I’m sort of low on the food chain.”

“Ain’t right.” Shepard repeated, scuffing his battered sneaker on the crappy old carpet. “You seem nice. So what if you do nerdy shit, like play Space Commander? Fuck’em.”

The show broke to commercial, and Shepard was still resolutely staring at the screen.

“You’re a lot nicer than people say you are, too.” Kaidan said softly. He shifted, knee bumping Shepard’s scuffed one, then he paused, leaning closer. “Wait. How’d you know I play Space Commander?” he asked, because he definitely didn’t bring the figures to school and the only person he talked about it EVER with, was Jeff, because they played on Saturday nights and then only in hushed tones over coagulating Salisbury steak in the cafeteria.

“Heard you talkin’ to Moreau. At lunch…. Last friday.” Shepard mumbled, finding the snuggie commercial a little too engrossing. Kaidan nudged him with his knee and Shepard slouched a little further. “I ain’t creepy, ok? I wasn’t stalkin’ you or anything.” He sighed. “Just..I saw you when I started here an’ I thought you seemed nice.. You smiled at me in the hall. No one else did.”

Kaidan blinked, amazed Shepard remembered. The new kid had seemed so terribly alone. It had been a nervous smile of solidarity amongst outcasts, a welcome, and perhaps a little bit of “God, you’re cute.” Shepard hadn’t smiled back, only kept on walking.

Shepard coughed and let his arms relax, and they brushed Kaidan’s. They sat like that, and Kaidan watched Shepard’s profile as some screaming man shouted about his magical cleaning cloths. “You can come over on Saturday if you want? We can roll you up a character.” Kaidan offered. “And you can come over for dinner, or just hang out and stare at commercials.”

“Yeah, sure.” Shepard said, finally looking over at Kaidan. “I’d like that.”

And just for a moment, Shepard smiled back.


	2. The Katy Perry Playlist Incident

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> http://joasakura.tumblr.com/post/25570185169/this-was-not-how-kaidan-pictured-things-going 

This was not how Kaidan pictured things going.

What Kaidan had envisoned: Explaining MacBeth to Shepard (who’s grade on their last english lit test was so low it was more like a shoe size than an actual test score) in such fantastic clarity, that he’d see that fugitive little smile come back, and those amazing blue eyes would be filled with understanding. And Shepard would pass their next quiz with flying colours. There would be gratitude, sunsets and roll credits, fade to black.

What was currently happening: Shepard was lying on his floor, gasping with hysterical laughter. “Cuz’ baby yer a fiiiiiiirewoooook!” he sang, in between choking with giggles. “C’mon show ‘em whaaaaaaat yer woooooorth!”

Kaidan stared at Roberto Luongo poster on his wall and sighed. “it’s not that funny.” Shepard clearly disagreed, nearly fetal on the floor with giggles.

Giggles that stopped abruptly when Kaidan got up.

“Hey… where you going?” Shepard sat up, wiping his eyes. He carefully set the iPod back on the bed.

Kaidan rocked on his feet, face burning, and Shepard scowled. “Ok, C’mon. Hit me or somethin’.”

“What?”

“Hit me. You know. Dude makes fun of your stuff. You tell him to stop, and if he doesn’t, you kick him in the nutsack or somethin’.” Shepard dug his hands into his pockets, as Kaidan stared at him red-faced.”Or you start singin’ along. Then kick him in the nutsack.”

“I just thought we were friends, now.” Kaidan fidgeted with his glasses. “I get enough of people making fun of me at school, ok?”

“I didn’t mean nothing by it. Just, I dunno.. caught me by surprise.” Shepard looked confused.

“That’s a double negative, Shepard.” Kaidan blurted out before he could stop himself.

“The what now?” It was Shepard’s turn to blink.

“Double negative. ‘Don’t mean nothing’ means it meant something. So, you’d say either it Didn’t mean anything, or it meant nothing. Both of those mean the same thing.” Kaidan sighed again. At least he didn’t feel like he was going to die of embarrassment anymore. “Otherwise it meant something.”

Shepard grinned, as if that had been his plan all along. He threw an arm around Kaidan and made a dramatic gesture. “You don’ hafta feel like a waste of space. Yer original, can’t be replaaaaced” he started to sing again, with a voice that sounded like someone was hitting a cat with a stick.

Kaidan turned red for an entirely different reason this time as Shepard proceeded to mangle the rest of the lyrics.

He was so going to get the other boy’s “Space Commander” character killed on Saturday night.


	3. Best Saturday Ever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> http://joasakura.tumblr.com/post/26323785434/wow-this-turned-out-way-longer-than-i-expected-xd

For the rest of the week, Kaidan realises that Kai Leng and his little clique give him a wide berth.

It’s not as if he harbours any illusions that it’s because of his victory punch to Leng’s already busted nose, but rather because Shepard might appear out of nowhere like some undernourished honey badger out for blood.

While Kaidan’s not entirely certain that he likes the feeling of being “protected”, he has to admit, the look on Leng’s face when he thinks Shepard might be around the next corner is beyond priceless.

And after a week of awkward glances between them, the “Katy Perry playlist incident” and rude commentary from Jeff, by the time Saturday rolls around, Kaidan is nearly beside himself.

With an hour before Shepard is supposed to show up, his parents keep him from changing shirts for the fifth time. “Kaidan.” His father says, wringing his hands slightly. “I think it’s time we had a talk, son.”

A former soldier, Peter Alenko has never been one prone to idle conversation, so Kaidan straightens his fourth shirt and sits down.

“Ok, dad, but..”

“But I know, Jeff and Liara and that new boy will be here soon.” His dad says, narrowing brown eyes so much like his son’s. “You were always a bit of a late bloomer, Kaidan, except for the face fuzz. That’s your mother’s side of the family, hairy French bastards.”

Kaidan blinks, not liking where this is going. “Sorry?”

“No, what i mean is that you haven’t shown much interest in girls, Kaidan, and a boy your age, well.. I’m just saying, you should take it slow with Liara, and if she doesn’t want to..”

“Dad. Wait.” Kaidan holds up his hands. “Liara? No. Look, she’s a good friend, but.. no. I’m not..”

“Oh, god, it’s not Moreau, is it? Because, Kaidan, honestly, he’s a little douchebag.” His father groans, rubbing his face. “I mean, if you’re gay, that’s fine. You’ll always be my son, but dear God, not Jeff. Anyone but him.”

“DAD.” Kaidan’s voice breaks like he’s hitting puberty for the second time.

“Peter.” Kaidan’s mother pokes her head in the doorway. “We can’t afford the therapy bills if you keep this up. And by the way..”

“Florence..” His father flails, and Kaidan would laugh if he wasn’t certain he was dying of embarrassment. “When I was his age, I was fantasising about sticking..”

“DAAAAD.” Kaidan feels like he’s hyperventilating and his parents share one of those looks that he *knows* is the two of them trying not to laugh. “Please. I’m not thinking of.. I’m not.. I’m not going to stick… anything anywhere. Just stop talking. For the love of god, stop talking.”

“Good to know, Kaidy. And by the way, your friend, John? Is in the kitchen. There’s only so much chocolate milk I can shove at a kid to distract him from this bonding moment between you and Dad.” (Yep. Definitely certain he’s dying of embarrassment.)

~~

“Yer folks, they’re..” Shepard is obviously trying to find something positive to say as Kaidan sets up the den for their weekly game.

“Freaks. Complete and total freaks.” Kaidan says as he pulls out the character sheets.

“Well, yeah. But they’re nice freaks.” Shepard actually laughs. “They’re nice.”

“I guess they are.” Kaidan pushes the paper and pencil towards Shepard and sits so their knees are almost touching. (Sorry, Dad. I’ve been fantasising, too. Sorry Shepard.) He thinks, watching Shepard’s tongue poke out of the corner of his mouth as he rolls the dice. (Not that sorry, though.)

Kaidan’s not surprised that Shepard rolls up a Vanguard class - quick and violent, and so very much like him. But the paragon alignment DOES surprise him, and he’s immediately ashamed that it does. Shepard stepped in to save him when no one else would.

He’s glad the other boy is so interested in filling out the character sheet that he misses Kaidan’s internal dilemma. “You’re pretty good at picking your skills. You didn’t play before?” Kaidan asks as Shepard fills out the sheet with more care than he puts into any homework.

“Always wanted to.. but never had anyone t’play with.” He mumbles, bright eyes darting up to meet Kaidan’s. “None of th’ other kids.. uhm.” Shepard adds.

“You live with a foster family, right?” Kaidan asks gently, and Shepard blushes. “Are.. are they nice?”

“Yeah. Nice enough… I guess. Nicer than some.” He fidgets with the pencil and Kaidan hesitantly lets his hand rest against Shepard’s. “Thanks. F’r askin’, y’know?”

~~

Jeff puts them through a derelict space god filled with moaning space zombies. Liara’s ridiculously high saving roll bonuses on her Asari Archeologist gets them through a serious run of sanity checks, and by the end of the game, Kaidan and Shepard have figured out a way to chain their Turian Sentinel and Human Vanguard abilities in a way that makes Jeff bean both of them with a pair of d20’s by the end of the afternoon.

“I was up ALL NIGHT coming up with this scenario.” Jeff sulks as Shepard high-fives Kaidan. “And you two jerks just blew up all of my zombies!”

“We’re jus’ that good, Moreau.” Shepard grins, full-on, and Kaidan feels like his heart might stop. It’s a beautiful smile. “And Onyx armour? Sweet.”

“Yeah, yeah. You just wait till next week, Space Cadets.” Jeff folds up his GM’s screen with a snort and sticks it in the backpack on his wheelchair. “I just got a new expansion pack, Revenge of the Geth. I am gonna make your lives a living hell, that is if Edie doesn’t come visit.”

“Jeff, do you really have a girlfriend in California?” Liara asks as she packs up her rulebook. Even though she’s speaking to Jeff, she keeps stealing glances at Shepard, and Kaidan feels a twinge of jealousy as Shepard gives her a nervous little smile.

“He totally doesn’t.” Kaidan blurts out to make Shepard look at him instead and Jeff makes an affronted sound.

“He totally does, and she’s awesome.” He sniffs as he wheels past them. “Awe-some.”

“Well, good luck with’er, Moreau.” Shepard folds up his character sheet in neat quarters, smoothing the folds with his long fingers and Kaidan is too busy watching to hear the rest of the conversation.

~~

A phone call to Shepard’s foster parents and a minimal amount of cajoling later, Kaidan’s got a dinner guest. Dinner blurs into video games in Kaidan’s room, and eventually, Shepard yawns, rubbing his bright eyes as they sprawl like puppies on the bed. “Hey. K…” He says after a moment. “I.. I had a really good time today.” He bumps his shoulder against Kaidan’s and they both grin.

“I did too. I’m really glad you came.” Kaidan says, taking off his glasses and feeling ridiculously self-conscious under the weight of Shepard’s gaze. “I…”

The kiss is sudden, a quick Vanguard dash inside of Kaidan’s defences, and Shepard scrambles back, as redfaced as Kaidan knows he must be. “Shit. Ok. Sorry.. that was..” He flails.

Kaidan leans in and kisses him in return. “Don’t be.” He says in a little voice, amazed at how bold he feels in this moment, with Shepard turning back towards him. “I liked it. I like you.” He says too quickly, closing his eyes as they make another try.

It’s awkward, inexperienced, as they close the spaces between them and Kaidan lets his hand cup Shepard’s face as they try out another few kisses. “I like you, too.” Shepard whispers against Kaidan’s lips.

The scant bits of skin exposed as they squirm closer are very warm together, and Kaidan nibbles on Shepard’s lips, just a little bit. “Can we..”

”.. Do this again?” Shepard finishes the sentence, letting his hands trail down Kaidan’s back and up under his shirt. “Yeah. Yeah, definitely.”

And Kaidan is certain, if he’s going to drop dead, it’s going to be from happiness.


	4. The Dinner Date: Part one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shepard's foster parents finally decide to have Kaidan over for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> originally posted on tumblr here: http://joasakura.tumblr.com/post/27125925353/joasakura-stonelions-more-au-teenshep-and

Shepard’s growth spurt caught everyone off guard.

No one moreso than Kaidan, who found it both disconcerting and wildly exciting. Disconcerting, because he’d liked stealing kisses behind the bleachers with the relatively tiny “undernourished honey badger of vengeance.”

Wildly exciting because the last time that happened, Shepard had run his fingers under Kaidan’s chin and looked *down* at him with those big blue eyes, before kissing him. It led to the most awkward gym class Kaidan had ever had the displeasure of experiencing.

But it was worth every second of it.

~~

 

“Kaidan. You have to come. PLEASE tell me you’re going to come.” Liara clutched her history books tighter to her chest, her voice dropping as Miranda Lawson glided past them on Kai Leng’s arm. Leng’s nose was never quite right after the "incident," and Kaidan’s more paranoid self still wondered when the inevitable lawsuit would drop.

“Of course, I’m going to come, Liara.” Kaidan shifted his backpack. “This is the first time your mom is letting you have a big birthday party!” Benezia T’soni was an archaeologist, and Liara’s “aunt” lived with them to keep an eye on her. The ground rules were simple. No one over, *ever* and Kaidan was fairly sure she’d had his parents vetted by some sort of government search before allowing Liara to come over to play Space Commander.

“and bring Shepard.” She hissed. “you have to. I’d invite him, but he doesn’t have a cellphone, he doesn’t have an email address and he just pops up when you least expect him.”

“Yeah, I’m a freakin’ ninja.” Shepard said behind her and Liara screeched.

“SEE?” She smacked him with her notebook. “Friday night. Six PM. Mother says I should ask everyone to bring a donation to the food kitchen in lieu of presents and there will be cake.”

“We’ll see you there.” Kaidan waved to her as she hurried off to her class.

“So… what was THAT all about?” Shepard dug his hands into the pockets of his cargo shorts. Most of his jeans didn’t fit right anymore, and at least he couldn’t blow out the knees on the shorts.

“Liara’s sixteenth birthday. We’re invited.” Kaidan said, scowling a bit. “What’s wrong?”

“I.. gotta check. With David and Kahlee.” He sighed. Kaidan took a quick look around, then gave Shepard’s wrist a reassuring little squeeze. His foster parents kept him on a tight leash, he gathered. Curfew, for one. For another, he was certain that every time he called over there, someone was listening in on an other extension.

He’d *said* they were nice, but it struck Kaidan as deeply creepy. “Shep..”

“Oh! Hey, yeah. Wait.” Shepard’s eyebrows flattened, and he fished a piece of paper out of his back pocket. It was folded in neat quarters, but then rumpled by the pressure of shepard’s (adorable) behind. “Ok, so. Do you have any food allergies?” He intoned.

“uh, come again?” Kaidan pushed his glasses up his nose.

“Food allergies, ya got any?” Shepard repeated, slightly desperate.

“uh. Shellfish.” Kaidan blinked.

“Shellfish. Right.” He ticked it off with a well-chewed pencil. “That’s it?”

“yeahhh?” Kaidan rocked on his feet.

“Kay, uhm. Do you now, or have you ever had any religious or political dietary restrictions?” He recited flatly.

“No. Shepard.. what’s this all about?” Kaidan moved a little closer, whispering.

Shepard leaned forward. “David and Kahlee want me to invite you over for dinner tonight. You should see the rest of the checklist.” He held it up to Kaidan with a little sigh of misery.

It was a full page, neatly singled spaced, and with a shake of his head Kaidan took it from him, and stuck it in his backback. “I’ll fill this out and give it back to you at lunch. And yes, I would *love* to come to your house for dinner.” He added with a smile, pulling out his cellphone. “I’m just gonna text mom and let her know.”

“Kay. That’s.. that’s good. Great.” Shepard, looked around uncomfortably. “Sorry in advance. It’s.. it’s gonna be weird.”

Kaidan glanced up at him (He was still getting used the *up* part, an it made him want to kiss him right there). The urge to drag the story about his foster parents out of Shepard was profound, but they were late as it was, loitering outside.

There was an immediate text back from his mother. “REPORT BACK *ALL* DEETS PLZ” followed immediately by “WILL MAKE WORTH WHILE. BAKING COOKIES BRIBE FAMILY”

Kaidan rolled his eyes, (Freaks. I love them, but.. Freaks.)


End file.
